Van A. Willis

Van A. Willis
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Van A. Willis

Funeral services for longtime Mancos resident Van A. Willis will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Mancos Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints.Interment will follow at Webber Cemetery.Bishop Melvyn Horrocks will officiate.

A visitation is scheduled Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at the LDS church, 201 Montezuma in Mancos.

Van was born Aug. 19, 1916, in Snowflake, Ariz., to Joseph Stratton and Wilmirth (Flake) Willis.Van was born Aug. 19, 1916, in Snowflake, Ariz., to Joseph Stratton and Wilmirth (Flake) Willis.
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Van was the grandson of the founders of Snowflake.He graduated from Snowflake Academy High School and Army Officer's Candidate School.He worked hard from an early age until the end of his life, ranching, selling real estate and operating retail grocery and hardware businesses.On Sept. 25, 1935, Van married his high school sweetheart, Selma Oveson, in the Mesa Temple.
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In 1942, Van joined the Army Ordnance Corps and defended his country during World War II.He was honorably discharged in 1952 ranking as a 1st Lieutenant and came to Bayfield in 1947 to purchase and operate a ranch.Van and his family owned and operated The Boys Market in Mancos from 1959 until 1986.He served, as the Mancos mayor for 12 years, held a post command in the VFW and American Legion, was chamber of commerce and Mancos Community Development president.Van always provided a special floral touch to the visitor's center and to his church from his large and beautiful gardens.He will always be remembered as a generous husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and community contributor.

Surviving Van are his children: Linda Willis Enochs and husband, Allen, of Mancos, and Dean Willis and wife, Robin, of Golden, Colo.